Naismith nets wonderful free kick against Northampton
Luton skipper Kal Naismith admitted that his stunning strike against Northampton Town on Wednesday evening may well top another magical moment in his Town career, the last-minute winner against AFC Bournemouth over four years ago.
Back on January 15, 2022, the ex-Rangers youngster was part of a Hatters side who were holding a Cherries team, containing Gary Cahill, Dominic Solanke and Morgan Rogers, to a 2-2 draw on home soil, having been 2-0 up at one point thanks to Lloyd Kelly’s own goal and Allan Campbell’s strike. The visitors levelled though, which then saw Naismith pop up in the final minute when the ball dropped to him just outside the box, skipping past one challenge and slotting into the bottom corner sparking wild scenes of celebrations with his team-mates and coaching staff, so much so that then manager Nathan Jones hurt his hamstring when doing an athletic knee-slide in front of the Kenilworth Road End.
Naismith was then at it again in midweek, as with five minutes to go and the Hatters’ level at 1-1 in a game they simply had to win to give themselves any realistic chance of reaching the play-offs this term, Ali Al-Hamadi was fouled for a set-piece some 30 yards from goal. Although not usually on free kick duty, the Town captain opted to step up and curl an inch-perfect effort over the wall and beyond the clutches of Lee Burge as it sailed into the net to make it 2-1.
Kal Naismith memorably celebrates scoring against AFC Bournemouth in January 2022 - pic: Liam Smithplaceholder image
Kal Naismith memorably celebrates scoring against AFC Bournemouth in January 2022 - pic: Liam Smith
The goal sparked further scenes of unbridled joy from the near 10,000 supporters inside the ground, along with those on the bench, manager Jack Wilshere booked for running on to field of play to join in with the party, and asked how it matched up to that effort against the Cherries, Naismith told BBC Three Counties Radio: “People are saying it’s similar celebrations to the Bournemouth goal and Bournemouth was incredible, how the full time whistle went straight away and it was a big moment.
"We were going for the play-offs, but this season what we’ve been through as a team and how we've suffered and how we’ve kept bouncing back and it was such a big game for us, that might just top it. It felt incredible, it's wow, just wow, just what a week, what a week, everybody deserves it and then to cap it off like that, wow. We were flat and we knew that would be the case.
“We came in from such a high and we told ourselves it was such a huge game and we were there, but it was always going to be a moment like that. To get that goal, I'm getting older now, but football takes you to some special places. I love this game and to have that moment with this group, this team, to have those celebrations with the staff, I watched it again in there and it was wow, what a moment.”
With Cohen Bramall the main man for free kicks so far this term, having scored three of his own, while Kasey Palmer also struck the outside of the post in the first period from a 25-yard dead ball situation, asked why it he was he was so determined to step up himself, Naismith continued: “I've not hit free kicks in a long time and I wonder if the gaffer will remember, it was about two or three weeks ago, just at the end of training I was messing about, I took a free kick and it was a good one and the gaffer said something like, ‘Kal, you used to hit free kicks didn't you? You're good at free kicks.’
"It was just a feeling, I thought if we get a free kick on that side I'll hit it. We had a couple on the other side where Kasey has come really close. He came close tonight as well, but just that moment I thought, let’s have a go. I knew it was in straight away. When you hit it right in the spot you want to hit it, you don't feel it come off your foot and then it’s just watching it the whole way to make sure the goalie doesn't get there. That feeling is just indescribable when it hits the net.”
The goal capped a performance that had been a real struggle in the first half as Town couldn’t shake off the effects of winning the Vertu Trophy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, as it wasn’t until a change in formation in the second period, Luton moving away from a back four to a back three, Shayden Morris coming on, that they really started to get going, and should have led before Naismith’s heroics, Jordan Clark, Al-Hamadi and Morris all going close.
Naismith felt that would always be the case though, even with the low-key celebrations following their success from the weekend, as he said: “The lads are incredibly professional. It’s a hard one as you've just won at Wembley in front of your incredible fanbase, family, everyone, and probably six, seven, eight years ago I would have behaved differently. But even the younger lads it’s like wow, football’s changed now.
"The lads want to do well and the boys are a credit to the club, how they behave, how they act, it was very chilled. We went into the hotel, one or two beers, watched the golf and then early bed and recover to go again. We gave so much in the cup final that you could see we were a little bit leggy so we’ve got to recover even better and get ready for Saturday.”
With Town getting a wonderful ovation from the home supporters at the full time whistle to move within three points of the top six, and win a third league game in a row for the first time this season, also their fourth in all competitions, plus make it just one defeat in 13 now, then Naismith was elated to head back to a bouncing changing room after so many disappointments in the earlier stages of the campaign.
He said: “I knew the atmosphere would be incredible. Me, Nahki (Wells) and Clicker drove in and I said I had a special feeling, I think it’s going to be the best atmosphere we’ve had this season. Clicker said it will be bouncing and it was amazing to see that, feel that, feel their energy and I’m sure they enjoyed it as well.
"As a team we've sat in that dressing room just hurting a lot of times as we know that we're such a good group, great human beings, everyone, staff members, amazing, they give us absolutely everything. At times we’ve sat in there thinking, what are we doing? We're not doing what we could be doing, and we’ve been hurting a lot of times.
"To have that week with the club that I love, with my team-mates that I love, to have that moment there is incredible, but it’s that, it’s only a moment. It’s three points and we’ve got a huge game in three days now that we need to recover, keep that feel-good. We need to be better against Mansfield, we know that, away from home, so as much as it feels amazing and so does Sunday, football moves fast and we have to go again.
"We’re doing everything we can do. We know it’s out of our hands, but we need to control what we can control, keep ticking it off, keep winning games, and that's what we'll look to do. Four huge games and we're going to give it absolutely everything we've got. We're never giving up, we’ve not given up all season when we’ve looked down at a lot of points and we'll keep going.”
Finally, Naismith could talk to the media with the star man trophy in his hand, although despite his goal and individual display, he didn’t feel it was warranted, adding: “Walshy (Liam Walsh) was incredible, he was our best player by an absolute mile. I feel bad getting man of the match, he was brilliant and his goal was amazing. It’s a team game and we’ve all stepped up recently, but that run we’ve been on, he’s been a huge part of that. I’m so happy for him, we know what he’s been through, we’re there for him, we love him to bits, he’s just an incredible team-mate and human being, but what a player, what a special player, he was amazing.”
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